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![Show Contents]() Firbanks History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 England
The ancestors of the name Firbanks date back to the days of the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from their residence near a scenic hillside. The surname Firbanks is derived from the Old English words fair, which means lovely, and bank, which means bank or hill. However, the first portion of the name may sometimes be derived from the Old English word faern, which means fern. 1 Early Origins of the Firbanks familyThe surname Firbanks was first found in Cumbria at Firbank, anciently Frithbank, a parish of Kirby Lonsdale in Westmorland. 2 3 Historically part of Westmorland, this village and civil parish has always been relatively small with a population of 199 in the late 1800s and today less than one hundred people. Early records show Robert Fairebank, son of Farebank in Yorkshire in 1583 4 and Robert Firebancke, of Wennington, parish of Mellinge listed in the Lancashire Wills at Richmond in 1638. 3 Early History of the Firbanks familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Firbanks research. Another 48 words (3 lines of text) covering the years 1594, 1633, 1637 and 1668 are included under the topic Early Firbanks History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Firbanks Spelling VariationsFirbanks has been spelled many different ways. Before English spelling became standardized over the last few hundred years, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. As the English language changed in the Middle Ages, absorbing pieces of Latin and French, as well as other languages, the spelling of people's names also changed considerably, even over a single lifetime. Many variations of the name Firbanks have been found, including Fairbanks, Fairbank, Fairbankes, Firbank and many more. Early Notables of the Firbanks familyAnother 50 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Firbanks Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Firbanks familyIn an attempt to escape the chaos experienced in England, many English families boarded overcrowded and diseased ships sailing for the shores of North America and other British colonies. Those families hardy enough, and lucky enough, to make the passage intact were rewarded with land and a social environment less prone to religious and political persecution. Many of these families became important contributors to the young colonies in which they settled. Early immigration and passenger lists have documented some of the first Firbankss to arrive on North American shores: John Fairbank who settled in Virginia in 1653; Elizabeth Fairbanke settled in Barbados in 1691; Mr. & Mrs. Fairbanks arrived in Boston in 1764; George Fairbanks arrived in New York in 1842.
The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.
Motto: Finem respice
Motto Translation: Consider the end.
- Hanks, Patricia and Flavia Hodges, A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1988. Print. (ISBN 0-19-211592-8)
- Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
- Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
- Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
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